The Pilgrims were a group of separatists in England in the early 1600's. Separatists were people who wanted to leave the Church of England to start their own church. They wanted to leave because they no longer shared that church's beliefs and practices. The problem for them was that membership in the Church of England was required by law in England. Their desire to start their own church led to persecution and legal trouble. Persecution is mistreatment or punishment of a group of people because of their beliefs. The Pilgrims made plans to start a new colony in North America, where they could practice their religion freely.
The Pilgrims received permission from the Virginia Company to settle near Jamestown. In 1620, they boarded the ship called the Mayflower and sailed across the Atlantic Ocean. William Bradford was the leader of the Pilgrims.
Joining them on the journey was another group who hoped to find treasure in the New World. The Pilgrims called them "the Strangers." They all arrived in North America late in 1620 and named their colony Plymouth, after a town in England.
The Mayflower did not make it to the Jamestown area, though. Because of the rough sea conditions, the settlers landed farther north. Trouble started right away. There were arguments, and the Pilgrim leaders claimed the "Strangers" spoke of mutiny. Mutiny is an open rebellion against authority.
The strangers said that because they landed outside of the Virginia Company's territory, they could do as they pleased. After all, no official English leadership or laws existed where they were. The potential for crisis was great.
Tensions eased after the two groups chose to write an agreement to keep order. This agreement was called the Mayflower Compact. The document called for the colonists to have meetings to discuss issues, elect leaders, and to vote on just and equal laws. The compact set up a system of self government. It was the first written plan for democratic government in North America.
The colonists moved to Plymouth in December 1620 after weeks of exploring the region. The first winter in the colony was terrible. The colonists began building shelter, but poor weather, sickness, and scares food took its toll. About half of the Plymouth colonists died that first winter. Conditions improved during the following spring.
A Native American Indian named Squanto visited the colonists several months later. He spoke English very well, having learned it after being captured by the English years earlier. He was an important person to the colonists during their first year.
He introduced the colonists to his Indian chief. He served as an interpreter and helped the colonists set up trade relations with neighboring Native American Indians. He provided guidelines for how to raise a number of crops that sustained the Plymouth colony.
Squanto‘s help made 1621 a good harvest year for the Plymouth colonists. They held a celebration in the fall to honor their good fortune and to give thanks. They invited the local Native American Indians to attend. For three days, the colonists and about 90 Indians celebrated and gave thanks. Their festival is the origin of the Thanksgiving holiday celebrated today in America.
The Plymouth colony developed into a stable settlement during the 1620s. More colonists arrived, and a good harvest sustained them. The colonists eventually set up a trading house to trade goods with the local Native American Indians. By 1627, approximately 160 people lived in the Plymouth colony.